Vacuum packed clothing and hanger therefor



Feb. 19, 1957 A. T. SMITH 2,781,895

VACUUM PACKED CLOTHING AND HANGER THEREFOR Filed Oct. 27. 1955 INVENTOR m T Slxr l.

Unimd States Paten VACUUM PACKED CLOTHING AND HANGER THEREFOR Alva T. Smith, Milwaukee, Wis. Application October 27, 1955, Serial No; 543,119

7 Claims. (Cl. 206-7) This invention relates to a clothes hanger provided 7 2,781,895 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 thus sealing passageway 24. At the same time, ball with means for evacuating therethrough the air in a bag or container in whichthe hanger is placed to provide vacuum packed clothing.

An object of this invention is to vacuum pack garments while suspended in an airtight or gas-impervious bag on a suitable hanger. The air in the bag or container is suitably evacuated and the bag is then suitably sealed to prevent ingress of air therein.

Further details and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification and appended drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a mans suit suspended on a clothes hanger, both being positioned within a transparent gas-impermeable bag which has been evacuated and sealed,

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view ofthe clothes hanger shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of Figure 2. a

Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 illustrates a clothes hanger on which is supported a mans coat 12 and trousers 14 in the usual manner. The hanger 10 comprises a spaced curved upper frame member 16 for supporting the shoulder portions of a garment and a transverse reinforcing rod 17 on which trousers 14 or a womans skirt may be supported. The hanger may be made of any suitable materials, such as wood, plastic or metal. The member 16 is provided with a channel or passageway through which a hollow tube of suitable length 20 is inserted, as shown in Figure 3. The upper portion 201) of the tube is bent to form a hook portion as shown in Figure 2 for suspending the hanger on any suitable support. The hanger 10 is provided with a yieldable rubber plug 30 at the upper portion of the member 16 through which the tube 20 passes for a purpose to be explained later. q

A check valve assembly 21 is connected to the lower end of the tube 20, consisting of a tubular member in communication with tube .20. The tubular member is provided with a chamber 22 for receiving a movable ball be forced through passageway 24, unseating the ball 23,

and the air will then pass through chamber 22 into tube 20, escaping from the open end 20a of the tube 20. Upon release of the compressive force on the bulb 25, it will resume its normal shape, and thereupon ball 23 will return to its lower sealing position in chamber 22,

29 will be inserted and the suction in the interior of the bulb 25 will cause air to pass into passageway 27, chamber 28 and into the interior of the bulb 25.

It will thus be seen that the hanger 10 is provided with means for evacuating air therethrough from a sealed bag or container in which the hangerlll ispositioned. The bulb 25 serves as a means to evacuate air from the bag 15 in which the hanger is positioned.

If desired, the bulb 25 may be removed from the valve 21, so that the exposed lower end of valve 21 will extend within the bag 15. A hose 35 connected to a suitable vacuum pump is then connected to the open end a of tube 20 so as to evacuate the air in bag 15. Upon disconnecting hose 35, check valve 21 will hold the vacuum temporarily while a screw'cap 36 is applied to close the open threaded end 20a of the tube 20 with a tight seal.

In use, the hanger 10 having apparel supported thereon is positioned within a suitable gas-impervious flexible bag or container 15 of suitable dimensions and contour. The mouth portion.13 of the bag is then folded up against the plug 30, as shown in Figure 1, and tightly shut by a string or tape 9 to provide a hermetic seal so as to seal the mouth portion of the bag. The bulb is then manually manipulated to evacuate air in the bag 15 by action of the check valves 21' and 26, previously described. The check valve 21 will operate to hold the vacuum temporarily and a suitable internally threaded cap 36 is then applied to the open threaded end 20b of tube 20 to seal the tube 20, as shown in Figure 2.

If the hanger is used without bulb 25, a suitable vacuum hose 35 is attached to the open end 20a of the tube 20 until air in bag 15 is fully evacuated. The hose 35 is then disconnected and sealing cap 36 is applied to seal the end 20b of tube 20, as previously described.

If desired, mothproofing agents, such as naphthalene, dichloricide and the like, may be placed within the bag 15 to mothproof the clothes. Also any suitable moistureabsorbing agents may be placed within the bag to absorb any moisture therein so as to prevent mold growth. It is well known that freshly pressed clothing will wilt and mildew in a humid climate such as prevails along the sea coasts, in semi-tropical climates as in Florida, and particularly in tropical climates. The present inven tion is particularly effective in preventing mildew of clothing by virtue of evacuating the air in the container in which the clothing is placed.

it is also a common experience of travelers to find that their clothing becomes disarranged and dusty in travel, especially when handled in and out with other luggage. The present invention overcomes these disadvantages and inconveniences by providing apparel in Thus the apparel, whether new or after cleaning, is preserved with its fresh, crisp appearance within the container or bag. Furthermore, upon evacuating the air from the bag the external air pressure will press against the outside of the bag to hold the sleeves, pleats, collars and parts of the garment in relative relations, one to the other, and minimize creasing and unsightly folds. In addition, dust, moths and other insects are excluded from contact with the apparel.

I prefer to use air-impermeable, transparent, flexible bags for packaging apparel in accordance with my invention, such as polyethylene, rubber hydrochloride (Pliofilm), vinylidene chloride polymers (Saran), ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellophane and the like. However, if desired, I may use opaque flexible bags made of similar materials or of textiles or paper suitably treated or coated to render them air-impermeable.

The present invention may be used at the factories of garment manufacturers for individually packaging each garment so as to ensure complete protection for the garment against dust, soiling, moths, insects and mildew. Likewise, the present invention may be advantageously used by individuals as well as commercial apparel cleaners to protect garments after they are subject to cleaning operations.

Changes and modifications may be made in the specific embodiments of my invention as previously described and it is intended to include such modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clothes hanger adapted to be positioned within a sealed flexible container comprising a supporting member for supporting apparel thereon, a' tube extending through said supporting member, one end of said tube being shaped into a hook portion for suspending the hanger, the other end of said tube being provided with a check valve for sealing said tube and-preventing passage of a gas therethrough, said tube being provided with a yieldable plug member, said plug member being adapted to support the folded portions of the open mouth of the flexible container in sealed relation thereto.

2. A clothes hanger adapted to be positioned within a sealed flexible container comprising a supporting member for supporting apparel thereon, a tube extending through said supporting member, one end of said tube being shaped into a hook portion for suspending the hanger, the other end of said tube being provided with a check valve for sealing said tube and preventing passage of a gas therethrough, and a flexible bulb connected to said check valve adapted to force gas through said check valve and evacuate the gas from said sealed con tainer.

3. A clothes hanger adapted to be positioned Within a sealed container as defined in claim 2, wherein the flexible bulb is provided with a check valve for sealing 4 the bulb against entry of a gas thereinto upon deforma tion of the bulb.

4. An apparel package comprising a clothes hanger, apparel supported on said hanger, said clothes hanger and apparel being positioned within a flexible gas-impermeable container, said hanger being provided with means for evacuating air from said container, said container being evacuated of air and hermetically sealed.

5. An apparel package comprising a clothes hanger, apparel supported on said hanger, said clothes hanger and apparel being positioned within a flexible gas-impermeable container, said container being evacuated of air and hermetically sealed, a tube extending through said supporting member, one end of said tube being shaped into a hook portion for suspending the hanger, said hook portion extending outside of said container, a closure for sealing the open end of said tube, the other end of said tube extending within the sealed container and provided with a check valve for sealing said tube and preventing passage of air therethrough.

6. An apparel package asdefined in claim 5, wherein a flexible bulb is connected to the check valve, said flexible bulb being deformable to evacuate air from the container and force the air out of said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,622,774 Freeman DEC. 23, 1952 

